Spring-motor.



PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

W. G. MoGEE.

SPRING MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14. 1905. RENEWED DEC. 1. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

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No. 839,781. PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

w. G.-M0GEE.

SPRING MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1905. RENEWED DEC. 1. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed November 14, 1905. Renewed December 1 1906. Serial No.345.935.

To "all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GLENN Mo- GEE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Honea Path, in the county of Anderson and State ofSouth Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Motors, of which the following is a specifi The invention has for itsfurther object to: provide a spring-motor in which the force exerted bythe spring element is constant or equal from the commencement to theending of the working throw.

Finally, the invention has for its object to provide a spring-motor inwhich the working force may be augmented or decreased, as may bedesired, by the introduction or withdrawal of spring elements andcorrelated parts.

The invention resides in a spring-motor having the features, elements,combinations of elements, and mode of operationhereinafter described.

That which is regarded as new will be set forth in the appended clausesof claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating that which I regard as thebest known embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view showingmy invention embodied in a multiple-spring machine; Fig. 2, a do tailillustrating the compensating action of the motor-spring connection withthe reciprocating rack. Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly inside elevation; Fig. 4, an elevation of the rack element; Fig. 5, abroken detail showing the shaft, the ratchetwheel, and the rack; Fig. 6,a broken detail of the ratchet-wheel, the ratchet, and theresistance-plate associated therewith.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates a frame in whichthe several operative elements may be arranged and supported andwhichmay be of any suitable type.

The numeral 2 designates the drivingshaft for transmitting the springenergy to the accomplishment of the work designed, such as the drivingof machinery or appliances of various kinds.

The motor is shown in an application of use for driving a train ofspeed-gearing G for imparting rapid rotation to a transmitting pulley P,adapted to be geared to the work.

The shaft 2 may be mounted for rotation in bearings 3 in members of theframe 1 and, as shown, is formed or provided with a fixed or permanenttransmitting element, (shown as a gear 4.) Said shaft is constructed asa ratchet-shaft, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the teeth 6 of whichare practically coextensive with the length of the shaft, whereby apinion or a number of pinions may be readily strung loosely thereonthatis to say, to be capable of rotation independently of the shaftorremoved therefrom, or disposed at any operative point in the lengththereof. Intervening the several teeth 6 are bearing-surfaces 7, whichfit with the desired practical accuracy the perforations or bores of thepinion or pinions.

8 designates said pinions, and in order that the same may have a one-wayconnection with the shaft 2 they are provided with pawls 10, the nosesof which pawls may be held to work by means of a spring 11. Any desirednumber of such one-way connection pinions may be disposed upon theshaft.

The pawl 10 is adapted to cooperate with ratchetteeth 6 of the shaft 2,riding or slip ping over said teeth in one direction of rotation of thepinion and positively enga ing said teeth to impart rotation to said shat in the other direction of rotation thereof. To relieve the pivot ofthe pawl of strain, it fits loosely in the latter and works against aresistance or thrust mass 10*, formed with or secured to the pinion 8.In working mesh with the teeth of the pinion 8 is a reciprocatingelement, preferably and as shown, consisting of a rack 12, preferablyworking in a guide 13, by which its working position with relation tothe pinion is maintained and by which it is guided in its reciprocatingmovements. The pinions 8 fit in between edge flanges 12 of the racks, asbest shown in Fig. 5, whereby they are restrained from movementlongitudinally of the shaft 2. The pinions serve as one suitable andconvenient means for imparting rotation to the shaft from thereciprocating elements. Of

ICO

' reciprocation in the arrangement shown at the right in thisfigureactuates the corresponding pinion 8 and through the medium of thepawl 10 associated therewith causes rotation of the shaft 2 andtransmission of power therefrom through the medium of the transmittingelement or gear 4 and that in the reciprocation of the rack in theopposite direction the pinion will move independently of the shaft, thepawl riding or slipping over the teeth of and exerting no influence uponthe shaft.

The active or shaft reciprocation of the rack 12 is imparted thereto bymeans of a leaf-spring 15 of any desired energy, suitably connected toor supported from a part of the frame 1, as by means of bolts 16, andoperatively associated at its free end with the rack 12. There will beas many of these springs incorporated into the motor as there are racksand pinions, the connection of the springs, as at 16, to the frame beingpreferably one that will permit incorporation of and removal of thesprings with facility. The components of the mechanism of my in vention,as herein described, are extremely flexible. There the motor is toperform work which may be accomplished by a single set of elementsthatis to say, a single pinion, rack, and springit may be quickly organizedfor this purpose, and where the work to be performed requires greaterenergy additional sets of elements may be incorporated with ease andwithout especial skill. When a plurality of springs and intermediates tothe shaft are utilized, it is preferable that they be arranged foropera,

tion at opposite sides of the shaft, as shown, obviating orcounteracting the tendency of a disturbance of the position of the shaftwhich might exist if the force of a series of springs were applied tothe shaft in a common line. It will be seen that while the racks andrackactuating springs arranged atopposite sides of the shaft operate torotate the shaft in the same direction the force of the elements at oneside of the shaft tend to an upward strain thereon and those on theopposite side to a downward strain, thus counteracting or neutralizingeach other and obviating all influence upon the shaft except that ofrotation. When arranged for this manner of operation, the springs 15 onone side of the shaft may be arranged above and those at the op ositeside below the shaft.

It is a valual a le attribute of my invention that the energy of thespring at the end of its active stroke is equal to the energy at thecommencement and throughout such stroke whereby a constant and equalforce is transmitted to the shaft for rotation thereof. This isaccomplished, according to the illustrated embodiment of my invention,by a compensating connection of the spring with the rack, whereby at thecommencement of the active stroke of the racks the leverage, as it were,of the spring is maximum (see dotted lines, Fig. 2) and graduallydecreases to the end of the stroke. (Seefulllines,Fig. 2.) Thiscompensating connection, as shown, is accomplished by making theconnection of the springs with the racks a loose or slip one, the freeends of the springs passing loosely into passages 17 in the racks, sothat the racks will ride out upon the springs as the latter assumeposition of maximum tension and gradually ride in thereon as the springtension decreases in the active stroke, reducing the leverage of thespring and equalizing the working energythereof at all stages of itsaction.

A friction-roller 18 may be provided against which the spring may workto reduce friction.

Energy may be stored up in the spring by means of any suitable appliancefor deflecting the free end thereof, and in the drawings I have shownone suitable arrangement for this purpose, according to which a fulcrumrod or bar 19 is supported from the frame 1. 20 designates a leveradapted to work against said rod or bar 19 as upon a fulcrum and toengage the. rack, preferably as shown, working against theantifriction-roller 18. By manipulation of the lever the rack is movedin the proper direction to place the spring associated therewith undertension, as will be obvious. In this operation to relieve the strainfrom the connection of the springs with the frame a rail 21 may beprovided to serve as an abutment or fulcrum to sustain the thrust of thespring during the operation of deflecting the latter to store the energythereof.

When the motor is organized with a plurality of pinions, racks, andassociated elements arranged at opposite sides of the shaft, the racksassociated with, springs arranged below the shaft may be provided withextensions 22 and a roller 23, with Which the lever 20 may be made toengage and cause the proper movement of the rack to deflect the springassociated therewith.

The action of the motor may be controlled, if desired, by a governor ofany suitable type. In the drawings I have illustrated a worm 24 fordriving the governor, the latter not being shown, as it forms no part ofmy invention.

IIO

Having fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a springmotor, adriving-shaft, a pinion arranged thereon and having a oneway connectiontherewith, a reciprocable rack operatively arranged with relationthereto, and a leaf-spring operatively associated with said rack.

2. In a spring-motor, a driving-shaft, a reciprocable element, meansoperatively interposed between said shaft and said reciprocable elementfor imparting rotation to the shaft from said reciprocable element, anda leaf-spring operatively associated with said reciprocable element.

3. In a spring-motor, a drivingshaft, a reciprocable element, meansoperatively interposed between said shaft and said reciprocable elementfor imparting rotation to the shaft from said reciprocable element, anda leaf-spring having a slip connection with said reciprocable element.

4. In a spring-motor, a driving-shaft, a reciprocable element, meansoperatively interposed between said shaft and said reciprocable elementfor imparting rotation to the shaft from said reciprocable element, anda leaf-spring having. a' self-adjusting connection with saidreciprocable element.

5. In a spring-motor, a driving-shaft, a pinion loosely arranged thereonand having a one-way connection therewith, a reciprocable rackoperatively arranged with relation to said pinion, and a leaf-springconnected to said rack by a variable connection to compensate for theinherent variation of working capacity of the spring.

6. In a springmotor, a driving-shaft, a pinion arranged thereon andhaving a oneway connection therewith, a reciprocable rack operativelyarranged with relation to said pinion, and a leaf-spring having aselfadjusting connection with said rack.

7. In a spring-motor, a driving-shaft, a leaf-spring, and means fortransmitting energy to rotate said shaft, said spring having a slipconnection with said means.

8. In a spring-motor, a driving-shaft, a pinion arranged thereon andhaving a oneway connection therewith, a reciprocable rack operativelyarranged in relation to said pinion, and a leafspring having a slipconnection with the said rack.

9. In a spring-motor, a ratchet drivingshaft, a pinion arranged thereonand having a one-Way connection therewith, a reciprocable rackoperatively arranged in relation thereto and a leaf-spring operativelyassociated with said rack.

10. In a spring-motor, a ratchet drivingshaft, a pinion arranged thereonand having a one-Way connection therewith, a reciprocable rackoperatively arranged in relation thereto, and a leaf-spring having aself-adjusting connection with said rack.

11. In a spring-motor, a ratchet drivingshaft, a pinion arranged thereonand having a one-way connection therewith, a reciprocable rackoperatively arranged in relation thereto, and a leaf-spring having aslip connection with said rack.

12. In a spring-motor, a driving-shaft pr0- vided practically throughoutits length with ratchet-teeth adapted to receive a plurality of pinions,pinions arranged on said shaft, a plurality of racks operativelyarranged in relation to said pinions, and a plurality of leafspringsassociated with said racks.

13. In a spring-motor, a driving-shaft, a plurality of pinions arrangedthereon and having a one-way connection therewith, a plurality ofreciprocable racks operatively arranged in relation to said pinions, anda plurality of leaf-springs associated with said racks.

14. In a spring-motor, a driving-shaft provided practically throughoutits length with ratchet-teeth adapted to receive a plurality of pinions,pinions arranged on said shaft, a plurality of racks operativelyarranged in reation to said Wheel, and a plurality of leafspringsassociated With said racks.

15. In a spring-motor, a driving-shaft, a plurality of pinions arrangedthereon and having a one-Way connection therewith, a plurality ofreciprocable racks operatively arranged in relation to said pinions, anda plurality of leaf-springs having slip connecv tion with said racks.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myhand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

- WILLIAM GLENN McGEE.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. REA, GERTRUDE M. STUcKER.

